Container unloading device

Abstract

Presented is a device for lifting land/sea containers off of a trailer chassis and for tipping them into a vertical position for loading. The device includes a door opening assembly for opening and closing the doors, including when the container is in a vertical position. When the container is filled, the doors would be closed and the container would be lowered to a horizontal position. From the horizontal position, the device is configured to place the container on the chassis of a trailer for towing by a truck.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A loading device for land-sea shipping containers mounted on trailer chassis on trucks, comprising:
 a loader frame compatible for drive in docking with a conventional truck and trailer chassis combination carrying a container with container doors oriented to the rear of said trailer chassis, said loader frame comprising at least four loader frame legs positioned near four corners of said loader frame, for lifting said loader frame and said container from said trailer chassis; 
 a container lifting bracket, rotatably attached to said loader frame, with a plurality of attachment points for attaching said lifting bracket to said shipping container, 
 at least one wheel guide for guiding said trailer chassis wheels into position for engagement of said lifting bracket to said container; 
 a container door opening and closing arm, for opening and closing said container door when said container is attached to said container lifting bracket; 
 a pair of hydraulic cylinders, mounted on a left and a right side of said loader frame, connecting said loader frame and said lifting bracket, with a first end of each of said hydraulic cylinder attached to said loader frame and a second end of each of said hydraulic cylinders attached to said lifting bracket, for rotating said container lifting bracket and an attached container from a horizontal to a vertical position, and back to a horizontal position, with an attached shipping container; and 
 a base support plate attached to said loader frame for contacting and supporting a rear end of said shipping container when said shipping container and lifting bracket are in a vertical position, so that material dropped into said container does not damage said rear end of said shipping container; 
 wherein said container lifting bracket is attachable to said shipping container with said attachment points, with said loader frame being liftable by said loader for raising said lifting bracket and said container off said truck, and with said lifting bracket rotatable from a horizontal position to a vertical position and back to a horizontal position to facilitate loading and unloading said shipping container, with said loader frame being lowerable to lower said container onto a trailer chassis. 
 
     
     
       2. A loading device for land-sea shipping containers mounted on a trailer chassis on trucks with rear doors on a back end of said containers, comprising:
 a loader frame providing drive up access to a container on a trailer chassis, and a at least four loader legs attached to corners of said loader frame for lifting said container off said trailer chassis; 
 a generally U shaped container lifting bracket, rotatably attached to said loader frame, for attachment to said container, and rotatable in relation to said loader frame, with a plurality of attachment points for attaching said container lifting bracket to said shipping container, said lifting bracket further comprising a rear plate and a left and right arm attached to either end of said rear plate; and 
 at least one tilting arm, for rotating said container lifting bracket from a horizontal to a vertical position, and back to a horizontal position, with an attached shipping container; 
 wherein said container lifting bracket attaches to said shipping container with said attachment points, with said loader frame legs for lifting said container lifting bracket and said container off said truck, and with said lifting bracket rotatable from a horizontal position to a vertical position and back to a horizontal position to facilitate loading and unloading said shipping container, with said lifting bracket rotatable to tilt said container to a vertical orientation so that said container doors are oriented upward, with said loader frame downwardly movable to lower said container onto a trailer chassis for attachment and removal. 
 
     
     
       3. The loading device of  claim 2  which further comprises one or more wheel guides for guiding said trailer chassis wheels into position for said container to engage with and attach to said lifting bracket. 
     
     
       4. The loading device of  claim 2  which further comprises a container door opening and closing arm, for opening and closing said container door when said container is engaged with said lifting bracket. 
     
     
       5. The loading device of  claim 2 , which further comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders acting as a tilting arm, mounted on a left and a right side of said loader frame, connecting said loader frame and said lifting bracket, with a first end of each of said hydraulic cylinders attached to said loader frame and a second end of each of said hydraulic cylinders attached to said lifting bracket. 
     
     
       6. The loading device of  claim 2 , which further includes a base support plate movable to a rear end of said container, for contacting and supporting said a rear end of said shipping container when said container and lifting bracket are in a vertical position, so that material dropped into said container does not damage said rear end of said shipping container. 
     
     
       7. The loading device of  claim 2 , in which said loader frame legs comprise hydraulic legs for lifting said loader frame for alignment with attachment ports on said containers, and for lifting said attached container off of the truck when said container is attached to said container lifting bracket. 
     
     
       8. The loading device of  claim 2 , in which said attachment points comprise locking pins which engage attachment holes in said container. 
     
     
       9. The loading device of  claim 2  which further includes a Y axis centering system for centering said container relative to said lifting bracket. 
     
     
       10. The loading device of  claim 2  in which said Y axis centering system is comprised of a pair of deflecting wedges in said lifting bracket between said left arm and said rear plate of said lifting bracket, and between said right arm and said rear plate, configured for deflecting a container to a centered position relative to said lifting bracket as said container is backed into said loading device. 
     
     
       11. The loading device of  claim 2  in which said Y axis centering system is further comprised of a plurality of J shaped brackets configured to lift said container from said trailer, with the J shaped brackets configured to deflect said container in a centering direction if said container contacts a sloping portion of said J shaped bracket when lifting. 
     
     
       12. The loading device of  claim 2 , in which said device further comprises a plurality of generally J shaped brackets slideably attached to said loader frame, with said J shaped brackets configured to slide under said container for lifting, and to slide away from said container for disengaging. 
     
     
       13. The loading device of  claim 2 ,in which said frame further includes a support bar for supporting said J shaped bracket, with said support bar configured to slide under and away from said container.